Despite order, S.A. furloughed workers need callback clarity

Updated 11:46 am, Sunday, October 6, 2013

Danny Gonzalez, benefits coordinator for the local AFGE, protests the government shutdown outside the union office.

Danny Gonzalez, benefits coordinator for the local AFGE, protests the government shutdown outside the union office.

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Albert Valenciano, a volunteer from Ministry of the Third Cross, cooks hot dogs during the American Federation of Government Employee's event to protest the federal shutdown.

Albert Valenciano, a volunteer from Ministry of the Third Cross, cooks hot dogs during the American Federation of Government Employee's event to protest the federal shutdown.

Photo: Robin Jerstad

Despite order, S.A. furloughed workers need callback clarity

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SAN ANTONIO – The Pentagon is ordering about 90 percent of its 350,000 furloughed civilian employees — about 30,000 of whom are in San Antonio — back to work.

But vague instructions left some federal workers in San Antonio unsure if they're supposed to be back on the job Monday.

The order announced Saturday by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel comes from a legal interpretation of the Pay Our Military Act, which was passed by Congress and signed by President Barack Obama shortly before the partial government shutdown began Tuesday.

Hagel cautioned the law doesn't allow for a blanket recall of all Pentagon civilians, but rather only for “employees whose responsibilities contribute to the morale, well-being, capabilities and readiness of service members.”

She said the directive given to her and co-workers was to “watch the news” to figure out when to come back to work and not to expect a phone call or email. She was told by a reporter Saturday afternoon about the Pentagon's announcement.

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“What if people haven't heard and don't come back to work Monday? Surely, they won't get reprimanded,” she said.

Lugo said the uncertainty only compounds frustrations she's felt since the shutdown began.

“We're prisoners of a political war — we are indeed,” she said. “It's unbelievable that they did this to us.

“Can you imagine, trying to work for a living and then knowing that in the next two weeks you're not getting a paycheck? But you're still employed, so you're not able to look for any other kind of assistance.”

Also Saturday, the U.S. House approved a measure that would provide retroactive pay to furloughed employees.

Roy Flores, the San Antonio-based District 10 national vice president of the AFGE, was on hand Saturday at a Northwest Side picnic and rally that provided food and information to furloughed workers.

“We want to go back to work and do the jobs we were hired to do,” Flores said.

“It has a very deep impact on people's lives,” he said. “People will eventually get their checks, but the bills are still coming.”

While Flores said he brought food to feed 300 people, by noon, only about 30 had come to the rally, including some who were not members of the host union. Simon Garcia, an IRS worker, was among them.

“I came out to protest the government impasse that's affecting me and all of these other people,” said Garcia, a furloughed member of the National Treasury Employees Union.

“I love my job, and it's a hard job. I'm the last person people want to see,” he said.

“I think it's a gross injustice that we're prevented from working because the parties are bickering,” he added.